13 Reasons Why-Book Review (13 Reasons Why I Didn't Like This Book)

13 Reasons why I didn’t like this book

1) There’s absolutely no insight about Clay, from whose point of view the story is narrated. All we get to know is that he fancies Hannah Baker since forever but doesn’t have the courage to go speak to her. Oh and that he is the ‘good boy’ in the school. No rumors about him, because he has no enemies, because he doesn’t get into people’s ways. That sums up Clay.

2) I really wanted to like Clay but there was something off about this guy too. He likes this girl and even though they work together, he could never tell her what he wanted to. They make out once but she abruptly pushes him away. Abrupt from her side, even he doesn’t ask for any explanations. Pathetically, he just walks away.

3) The characters are loosely formed. How can you sympathize with Hannah and Clay when you don’t even get their whole story?

4) Hannah seems to be a little creepy to me. She ends her own life but leaves behind these tapes to make these people feel guilty, when most of them didn’t even do what they did knowingly. They didn’t know what she was going through, how can they be expected to act all understanding? And most of them don’t even know her personally; all they’ve heard are rumors. It’s not their fault she’s not social. I mean everyone in High School can’t be mean!

5) The reasons because of which Hannah takes pills didn’t click for me. She was spoken about a lot, most of which were rumors, and she didn’t have any friends. She seemed to be whiny. Bad stuff happens with everyone, no one’s life is perfect. High school isn’t easy for anyone either. No need to go ahead and kill yourself!

6) People give her a hard time and her parents aren’t there for her but she should’ve given some people (like Clay ) a chance. She says she gives a lot of chances to a lot of people, but all of them were wrong. What about this poor guy who’s always wanted to talk to you? He actually cares but she’s too absorbed into her bad past to think about the present or future. Staying away from all of humanity, she slowly dwells on how insignificant her existence is.

7) While reading, it seems that Clay is the only one who gets affected by what he hears. Most of the other people are only worried about their secrets being out. The purpose of the tapes was to make these people see what impact their actions had on her. I don’t think it was fulfilled.

8) I feel that this book promotes suicide in a way. If you’re having a hard time, just take pills and everything will work out! Once you’re dead, they’ll respect you and not spread anymore rumors about you! I don’t think it’s intentional but this dangerous message is conveyed anyway.

9) The self indulgence of her suicide was so dramatic. She doesn’t like her own life but by leaving these tapes, she probably spoils other lives too. True, most of them didn’t care but the list just didn’t get over after Clay, there were other people who would probably hate themselves for the rest of their lives. They’re just teenagers for God’s sake! Blaming others was totally selfish of her. She’s dead but they have a long life ahead of themselves, and now they’ll live with this burden for the rest of their lives.

10) I had high expectations. The reality wasn’t even close. The book could definitely have been better in so many imaginable ways. But sadly, it just wasn’t.

11) I think the book is for people who have probably been through something like this. But there was definitely nothing inspirational about it. Relatable, yes but no inspirations. You can’t inspire teenagers to commit suicide. They should be taught that things will definitely get better once you are out of High School. Hannah’s attitude seems to convey the message-‘School and people better be the way I want or else I’ll just take my life and blame others for it.”

12) The people on the tapes didn’t actually care about Hannah. And she knew that. Then why should their actions have such an impact on her? They don’t care, she shouldn’t either. But the problem is that she does. All these people are really mean because they do stuff without thinking about their actions. And it’s not like she isn’t mean. If she is the victim, then she victimizes others too.

13) Lastly, in the whole book she goes on about how people don’t think when they act. What about her? Did she think about what impact her actions would have on so many people? Okay, she wants to punish them because of what they do to her, but what about Clay? Why does he have to go through these tapes when he didn’t do anything? And her parents? They must be caught up in work for some time but that doesn’t mean they’ve just stopped loving her. Imagine what they must have gone through when they would’ve found their only daughter lying dead in her room? What did they do to go through this?

So yeah, I didn’t like the book. Hannah’s own actions defeated the whole purpose of the book.

Read it if you want but I don’t recommend this depressing book. What made me keep reading was the thought that maybe; I’ll finally read about a reason worth ending one’s life. But I couldn’t find any. Not even one.

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